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August 3, 2025

From the Club Blog
Rotarians Provide Dinner and Support at Family House
The following Rotarians volunteered on Thursday, July 24, 2025 from 4 PM to 6 PM at Family House, a nonprofit that provides free housing and support to families with children receiving medical care at UCSF: Betsy Chafcouloff from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Castro; and Mary Fermi, David Folk, Bob Hermann, La Carre Ivy, Dan Joraanstad, Eric Orantes, Carrie Schucker, and Christopher Wiseman, all from the Rotary Club of San Francisco. Thank you to all who participated. Your service reflected the best of Rotary — meeting real needs with real action.
 
Together, we provided a catered dinner for the 70 families staying at Family House and offered not only a warm meal but also a moment of comfort during a difficult time. We also cleaned the kitchen and dining areas, restocked supplies, and helped to ensure that the space remained welcoming and maintained.
 
Pictured are Bob Hermann, Eric Orantes, La Carre Ivy, David Folk, Christopher Wiseman, Betsy Chafcouloff, Mary Fermi, and Dan Joraanstad.
 
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EVENING MEETING HIGHLIGHTS July 24, 2025
President Frank Yoke III (Development | Serra Residential Center, Inc.) called our Club's monthly Evening Meeting at MoMo's to order at 6:38 PM.
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
This evening's Visiting Rotarians were Alex Bernardino Garcia from Rotary District 4140 (Jalisco, Mexico); and Betsy Chafcouloff and Janet Leiva — both from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Castro. Our guests were Janet Beach, Janessa Bowen, and Thomas Estruth. Welcome to all!
 
New Member Inducted
Vice President of Membership Margaret Miley (Hospitality: Hotels | Retired) and Robin Azevedo (Retail: Mattresses | Retired, McRoskey Mattress Company) joined President Frank to induct a new member. Robin introduced her childhood friend, Holly Huebel (Travel Specialist | Fugazi Travel). Holly is an experienced travel agent and looks forward to helping our Club with event planning. Holly's mentor in Rotary is Robin Azevedo. Rotarians in today's audience pledged to support Holly on her Rotary journey. Please welcome Holly when you see her at our meetings and events.
 
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Next Issue
Club Members David Dye, Dora Dye, Mary Liu, Sunny Singh, and Todd St Vrain were at RYLA Camp from July 27 to August 1, 2025. Look for a story on this year's camp in the next issue.
 
You are invited to submit stories for publication in Grindings. We are especially interested in stories on recent Rotary events that you have attended. The deadline is every Thursday at 5 PM, and this is a hard deadline so that I can get the issue of Grindings done in time for release on Sunday. If you miss the Thursday deadline, your story will appear in the following Sunday's issue or a future issue.
Upcoming Events
ROTARY LUNCHEON August 5, 2025: The State of Tourism in the City — where we are and where we're headed
Anna Marie PresuttiDahlia Myers Anna Marie Presutti, Tourism Industry Leader and current president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association, will discuss the state of tourism in the City: where we are and where we're headed. 
 
Also speaking to us will be Dahlia Myers, who has returned from her year as a Rotary Youth Exchange student in Germany and will share her experience with us.
 
 
BUSINESS NETWORKING: August 6, 2025
Join us for our Club's next BUSINESS NETWORKING meeting where we will have dinner and enjoy an evening of productive and fun networking. There is no charge to attend this meeting, but each attendee pays individually for food and beverages ordered at DACHA Kitchen & Bar. Please register yourself and your guests so that we can plan the space.
 
 
ROTARY LUNCHEON August 12, 2025: Ending Poverty — Creating Financial Security for Workers Struggling to Make Ends Meet
Amy Everitt, president of Golden State Opportunity (GSO), joins us to discuss financial security for workers struggling to make ends meet. GSO is a nonprofit dedicated to ending poverty for Californians.
 
 
Discover Rotary for New and Prospective Members: August 14, 2025

Join us for our next New and Prospective Member event to discover what Rotary and our Club have to offer. Attendees will be able to get better acquainted with each other as well as with a few Club leaders and longer-term members. The evening promises to be fun and informative. Join us to enjoy new friends and conversation as well as hear of service opportunities in our community. 

EVENING MEETING: August 21, 2025
Join us for our Club's NEXT EVENING MEETING where we will conduct some Club business, have dinner, and enjoy Rotary fellowship. There is no charge to attend this meeting, but each attendee pays individually for food and beverages ordered at MoMo's. Please register yourself and your guests so that we can plan the space.
 
 
Rotaplast Bocce Ball Tournament and BBQ: August 24, 2025
Rotaplast started as a world community service project of the Rotary Club of San Francisco in 1992-1993, and since then, has sponsored over 200 missions and helped over 20,000 children. Bring smiles to children around the world by participating in (or supporting) this tournament with Rotary clubs throughout our District 5150 and beyond. Funds raised will benefit the mission in New Delhi, India.
SOCIAL EVENT August 24, 2025: Pickleball with District 5150 Rotarians and Friends
Come and join District 5150 Rotarians and friends for a Pickleball Social! Pickleball has become very popular in the U.S., because it's fun, easy to learn, and offers great exercise. The District has reserved six courts for 48 players, including beginner-friendly courts with loaner paddles and tutorials. Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the $30 registration fee. Deadline to register is Sunday, August 10.
 
 
District 5150 Foundation Event: October 11, 2025
Celebrate the incredible impact of the Rotary Foundation over lunch, enjoy exciting drawings/prizes (including the EREY Drawing), and cap it all off with a thrilling performance by the Blue Angels! Regular registration ends on August 31, and the price will go up starting September 1.